Did anyone here ever seriously consider becoming a Therapist?

Lately, I have become very interested in the area of therapy, through being in therapy and just how much it really helps people. I think it would be very rewarding as a career choice. I wonder would I be emotionally strong enough to undergo the training also, the cost is unbelievable.
Have any of you guys on here ever considered training as a therapist?

I'm just starting to work towards that kind of role not 100% sure where i'll end up but i now know after 2 years of therapy that's the kind of thing i want to do. Look into it some more and speak to you T if you have one, you never know. Good luck.

I wanted to. I took a bunch of classes on domestic violence and I took a class to be on the Sexual Assalt Responders Team. We would meet with the PD at a victims house, and if they wanted we could sit with them in the ER thru a rape kit. I did two calls, and lost it a week later. Ended up in the hospital. At least I held it together for the victim. My thinking was that since I had experience I could help others, but it turned out the instead the experience I had triggered me. Maybe someday though.

From hearing my friends and such, a lot of people going through therapy think they might like to do therapisting for a living. For some, as therapy progresses the urge fades, others realize it is really not for them, and a couple became therapists. I have never wanted to be a therapist, but I doubt anyone is surprised at that.

Crazylife, Two years of therapy is worth more than any Therapy training book, I think

AWe, Wiki hugs, hopefully someday you will be strong enough to go back to your training when the triggers subside. I am afraid of this myself, the triggers. Like if a client came to me and told me they were having an affair, I would not be able to support them and would end up going off on one with them. lol

This is very insightful Stopdog, I wonder why we become so obsessed about therapy in therapy...They say that in therapy training colleges they prefer candidates who have gone through some life changes and are willing to reflect in their experiences so maybe those who are in therapy would be able to help others with similiar problems.

i think that may just mean you have some more processing and integration to do with regards to your own trauma. you may be able to do it in the future.

I honestly cannot imagine a profession that I would like less. Talking to people all day long is the most draining thing I can imagine. I do like learning about psychology though, as long as I don't have to interact with other people.

I can think of very few I would like worse. I mean it is in an office, you get a chair, autonomy and apparently a lot of people adore you, but still, right after pediatrician, politician, or leper, it is pretty near the bottom of my list as well.
And yet a good number of people (lovers of mine, students, friends, acquaintances, people in books) I know and know of have at some point had becoming a therapist as their idea of a career they would like.

Therapists must like having a lot of attention and a lot of people who need them

I would imagine they have a strong voyeuristic streak as well.

Interesting but you are right Stopdog. I would imagine the are very nosy or curious too. How could you want to know so much about somebody else's life.

I couldn't imagine listening all day long. I daydream...lol. I'd be like "wha? did you say something?" That's why I liked the SART, it was just one person in crisis for a few hours. And the DV shelter just involved teaching middle/high school students about what to do if they find themselves in an abusive situation. That was easier, until a young girl came up to me and disclosed. I puked for two days afterwards. I did help her though, and it felt good that she trusted me.

Well done wiki on helping the girl, must have felt great....I am with you on the day dreaming lol, I could not listen all day and not say anything either, plus I am to obsessed with my phone, it would be vibrating all the time ahahha... I would be the worst T ever

I'm ready to go back to work (stay home mom for the last 13 years) and I'm going to start looking for a therapist position. I wanted to get my MSW because I had the natural skills to listen and empathize and I'm seriously extremely interested in people. I can listen to anyone's story and honestly be interested. Choosing TV programs, I would chose something about watching people too, whether a different culture, a reality program, etc. I also have a strong interest in helping people. My ISFJ personality type spells this all out. We are natural caretakers/helpers.

When I was getting my MSW in the mid 1990's I was doing okay helping others but I still needed to work on myself. I have finished up a lot of that work since then and I think that it will be helpful for being a therapist.

Having worked on a lot of my own issues I believe will be very helpful.

I am an INTP. I am guessing there are not a lot of INTPs who end up as therapists.

It is something that interests me but as you mentioned the cost and time is sort of out of the question. My psychiatrist mentioned that I would be a good peer support worker. That yes it helps if you have letters after your name, like an RN or whatnot. My ACT worker is a peer specialist and is an RN.

Part of me is looking into it, there are some free courses a few websites offering all kinds of education while not obtaining a degree/diploma. But the education is out there you just have to search for it. It maybe harder without a piece of paper but I think life experience and just educating yourself shows people you are serious too.

Absolutely, starting grad school soon.

Me I started T in September 2011. Went back to college in January 2012 to get a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. Will be graduating in August or December 2013, depending on how classes work out. Then on to grad school to get a Master's degree in Counseling.

I would make a terrible therapist. I really don't think I could restrain myself from slapping some clients upside the head. I expect that would be frowned upon.

I have a psych minor and toyed with the idea of continuing on when I was graduating from college. I have a lot of people tell me I am good listener. Now going through my own therapy I don't think I would be cut out for it. I am an introvert and interacting with people all day would completely drain me.

I had seriously considered it. Started college off in the counseling field. But have decided after being released from the bonds that my mental illness held over me that I don't want to be enslaved to the mental health world for the rest of my life, even in my job. So I'm doing the nursing aspect. I'll still come across those who are mentally ill. I'll still understand. I'll know they're pain deeper then other nurses, but it's just not for me. It's a lot less stress knowing I don't have to deal with mental illnesses 24/7.

I'm an INTJ. I am fairly certain no one wants a T like this:

People with this personality type are introverted and spend a lot of time in their own mind. INTJs work best by themselves and strongly prefer solitary work to group work. While they tend not to be particularly interested in other people's thoughts and feelings, they do care about the emotions of the select group of people to whom they are close. In personal relationships, INTJs are willing to devote time and energy toward making these relationships successful.
Other people often interpret INTJs as cool, aloof and disinterested, which can making forming new friendships challenging. People with this type of personality often see little value in social rituals and small talk, making it even more difficult to get to know them. They tend to be reserved and prefer to interact with a group of close family and friends.

I am an INTJ too. No matter how many tests I take or how much I think I've changed, I come up INTJ every single time. I first took the Meyers-Briggs at 17 and I just took an online "version" a few minutes ago and I'm still INTJ.

However, I have a bachelors in psychology and wanted to pursue a masters in counseling, but decided not to. I still think about it every so often. I do okay one-on-one with people, even those I don't know well.